Rummenigge calls for City to be banned - Mancini takes the bait6 Dec 2011

A public argument has broken out between Bayern Munich and Man City over the penalties for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. In an interview with Austrian website www.90minuten.at Bayern CEO Rummenigge makes a stinging attack on City’s spending and expressly calls for UEFA to exclude them from European competion.. Rummenigge explains:

“I recommend that Uefa should think of harsh punishments, otherwise there will be no financial fair play.

“Let’s take the example of Manchester City. How does it work when you write about 200 million (£194.9m) loss?

“The working group of the Uefa is required here to establish strict penalties. Some clubs want leniency, but in the final analysis, only the exclusion from the international competitions or the non-licensing for the European competitions or Champions League place (is appropriate.)”

Rummenigge also went on to outline the reasons that Dutch, Belgium and Austrian clubs should all get behind the FFP proposals.

"This has been six months now that he talks against us. He says he hopes Napoli get through to the second stage [instead of City]. “But you don’t want to see an important man like Rummenigge, who is the Bayern Munich president and a representative of a top club in the world, saying things against us. There are other teams in Europe that have a problem with Financial Fair Play, not only Manchester City.”

Although, Mancini’s comments "I think Manchester City are working for this FFP for the next two years” will have raised some eyerows given that the club lost nearly £200m in the financial year that ended just 5 months ago.